Waterproof lantern with novel reflector assembly



W, 19% R. E. BRINDLEY Er AL 3,539,797

WATERPROOF LANTERN WITH NOVEL REFLECTOR ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 13, 1968 NVENTORS ROBER1 E.BRINDLEY A ST HL 58 r ATT RNEIYJ.

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United States Patent Office 3,539,797 Patented Nov. 10, 1970 US. Cl. 240-10.6 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A waterproof lantern having a one-piece molded plastic lantern case is provided with a novel reflector assembly which can be threadably mounted onto the front open end portion of the lantern case by rotating the lens having a threaded peripheral rim which engages with a threaded lens mounting flange formed on the lantern case but without entangling the electrical lead wires for carrying current to the lamp bulb. A rotatable contact ring is so mounted and arranged within the reflector assembly as to enable the lens and reflector body to be rotated completely with the electrical lead wire attached to the ring remaining in a substantially stationary position.

This invention relates to waterproof lanterns and more particularly concerns a novel and improved reflector assembly therefor.

In the design of a typical water-proof lantern having a one-piece molded plastic lantern case and a reflector assembly including a reflector body and lamp bulb, it is necessary to construct the reflector assembly in such a way that it may be mounted onto the front open end portion of the lantern case to provide a water-tight seal and yet permit the lamp assembly to be disengaged from the lantern case at any time in order to replace the lantern battery or lamp bulb. Usually, this is accomplished by providing means for threadably mounting the lamp assembly onto the front end portion of the lantern case. The difliculty with this however is that the electrical lead wires which are attached to the lamp assembly for carrying current to the lamp bulb are likely to become wrapped around and entangled with the various parts of the lamp assembly when it is rotated to threadably engage with the front end portion of the lantern case. invariably, the electrical connections made by the lead wires are broken due to the tension applied to the wires when they become entangled with the parts of the lamp assembly, thus rendering the lantern inoperable.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved reflector assembly for a waterproof lantern which avoids the above-mentioned difficulties.

A more specific object is to provide a novel and improved reflector assembly which is adapted to be rotated completely about its own axis for threadably mounting it to the front open end portion of the lantern case but without the danger of the electrical lead wires becoming entangled with the various parts of the lamp assembly.

The foregoing and other objects of this invention are attained by the provision in the lamp assembly for a waterproof lantern of a rotatable contact ring having an electrical lead wire attached thereto for carrying electrical current to one terminal of the lamp bulb. The contact ring is so arranged as to permit the whole lamp assembly to be rotated about its axis with the electrical lead wire remaining in a substantially stationary position as the lamp assembly is threadably mounted onto the lantern case.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of the waterproof lantern showing the lantern case, reflector assembly and a lens ring in disassembled position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective partially cut away view of the lamp assembly including the rotatable contact ring of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the rotatable contact ring; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional partially cut away view of the lamp assembly of the invention Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, the lantern case 10 is molded in one piece from a plastic material and has a front open end 12 in which a conventional lantern battery 14 is placed with its coil terminals 16, 18 positioned in the forward direction. Although not shown, the lantern case 10 incorporates switch means which may be placed in any location convenient to the user.

Indicated generally at 20 is a reflector assembly comprising a conical shape reflector body 22 having mounted therein a lamp bulb 24 and having a lens 26 fitted over the front end thereof. Both the reflector body 22 and lens 26 are molded from a clear plastic material with the reflector body 22 having a metallized surface 28 thereon (FIG. 4) and the lens 26 being formed with a peripheral rim or flange 30. The lantern case 10 is formed with a circular lens mounting flange 32 surrounding the front open end 12 which is provided with a threaded portion as at 34. The rim or flange 30 on lens 26 is similarly provided with threads as at 36 and is adapted to be threadably mounted onto the lens mounting flange 32 by rotating the lens 26 through several turns until the threads on the respective members are tightly engaged. For assuring a water-tight seal, a gasket 38 may be placed inside the rim or flange 30 on the lens 26.

A lens ring 40 molded of plastic material and having a somewhat V-shaped configuration in side elevation is detachably mounted around the lens 26 on the front end of the lantern case 10. Lens ring 40 is provided with a pair of lens ring clips 42, 44 which snap into recesses formed on the side walls of lantern case 10 as shown at 46.

As more particularly shown in FIG. 4, the reflector body 22 is formed with a tubular rear neck portion 48 for mounting the lamp bulb 24. Fitted inside of the tubular rear neck portion 48 is a metal lamp bulb contact sleeve 50 having a flanged forward end 50a which secures it within the central opening of the reflector body 22. Con tact sleeve 50 is further provided with a reduced inner diameter front opening forming a peripheral shoulder 50b which makes electrical contact with the flanged terminal element 24a of the lamp bulb .24.

The lamp bulb proper resides substantially at the focal point of the concavely shaped inner metallized surfaces of the reflector body 22 with the base portion of the lamp bulb 24 being received within the forward open end of a tubular lamp bulb retainer member 52 suitably made of plastic material. The lamp bulb retainer member 52 is detachably snapped into place inside the contact sleeve 50 in the manner to be hereinafter described, with its forward edge portion bearing against the flanged terminal element 24a of the lamp bulb 24, thus assuring that the lamp bulb terminal is maintained in tight contact with the shoulder portion 50b formed within the front opening of sleeve 50.

The rearward end portion of the lamp bulb retainer member 52 protrudes outwardly beyond the rear open end of the contact sleeve 50 and carries a stationary metal battery contact plate 54 for purposes to be made clear hereinafter. Plate 54 is mounted onto an outwardly formed flange 56 on the rearward end portion of the lamp bulb retainer member 52 and is secured thereto as by means of rivets 58. The rearward end portion of the lamp bulb retainer member 52 is closed by a recessed wall 60 which has mounted therein a spring contact 62. Spring contact 62 makes electrical contact with the base terminal element of the lamp bulb 24 and at its outer end is bent to provide a flat surface 62a within the recess 60 for making contact with the central coil terminal 16 of the battery 14 as more particularly shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows in somewhat enlarged detail the metal rotatable contact ring 64 of the invention. Ring 64 is provided with an outwardly protruding tab 66 and is made of such size (inner diameter) as to fit loosely around the rearward end portion of the lamp bulb contact sleeve 50. As shown more particularly in FIG. 4, contact sleeve 50 is made of such size as to protrude slightly beyond the tubular rear neck portion 48 of the reflector body 22 in order to accommodate the ring 64 and is further provided with an outwardly formed flanged end 500 which holds the ring 64 in place on the sleeve 50. The tubular rear neck portion 48 of the reflector body 22 terminates in a flat edge as indicated at 48a providing a smooth bearing surface in abutment with the ring 64. The flanged end 500 of sleeve 50 bears loosely against the ring 64 enabling it to rotate freely around the rearward end of sleeve 50 but at the same time maintains electrical contact with the ring.

The stationary battery contact plate 54 mounted to the rearward end portion of the lamp bulb retainer member 52 is adapted to make electrical contact with the diagonal coil terminal 18 of the battery 14 when the lamp assembly is inserted through the front open end 12 of the lantern case 10 during assembly as more particularly shown in FIG. 1. One edge of the battery contact plate 54 is slotted to form a tab 68 and a metal clip 70 attached to an electrical lead wire 72 is fixed onto the tab 68. The lead wire 72 extends into the lantern case 10' and is connected at its other end to the lantern switch, now shown. Similarly, a metal clip 74 attached to a lead wire 76 is fastened to the tab 66 on the rotatable contact ring 64. The lead wire 76 is looped through a clip 78 formed on the battery contact plate 54 and extends into the lantern case 10 where it is connected at its other end to the switch.

As more particularly shown in FIG. 4, the forward end portion of the lamp bulb retainer member 52 is formed with a channel or groove 80 which engages with a corresponding peripheral head portion 82 formed on the inside surface of the contact sleeve 50. The channel or groove 80 and corresponding bead 82 are of such size and are so arranged as to permit the forward end of the lamp bulb retainer member 52 to be securely snapped into place by merely pushing the retainer member 52 through the rear open end of the sleeve 50. To remove the retainer member 52 as in the case where it is necessary to replace the lamp bulb 24, the retainer member 52 is simply grasped by the users fingers and pulled outwardly from the sleeve 50 to detach its forward end. It will also be seen that this construction enables the whole reflector body 22 to be easily rotated about the forward end portion of the lamb bulb retainer member 52 as depicted by the arrows in FIG. 2.

From the foregoing, it will be readily seen that the invention provides a novel reflector assembly for a waterproof lantern which can be threadably mounted onto the front open end portion of the lantern case 10 without entangling the electrical lead wires for carrying current from the lantern battery 14 to the lamp bulb 24. By the provision of the rotatable contact ring 64, the lead wire 76 attached thereto by means of clip 74 can be maintained in a substantially stationary position when the lens 26 and reflector body 22 are rotated for threadably mounting the reflector assembly onto the front of the lantern case 10. Furthermore, it will be seen that there is essentially no movement of the battery contact plate 54 to which lead wire 72 is fastened when the reflector body 22 is rotated due to the rotatable snap-on feature of the tubular lamp bulb retainer member 52 which enables the reflector body 22 to be rotated freely about its own axis. Thus, both lead wires 72, 76 will remain in a substantially stationary position when the lamp assembly is mounted onto the lantern case 10.

What is claimed is:

1. In a waterproof lantern having a one-piece lantern case provided with a front open end adapted to receive a lantern battery having terminals thereon, a lens and a reflector assembly including a lamp bulb adapted to be threadably mounted onto the lantern case at the front open end thereof, said lantern case including switch means for operating the lantern, said reflector assembly comprising, in combination:

(a) a conical shape reflector body having a tubular rear neck portion;

(b) a lamp bulb contact sleeve fitted inside of said tubular rear neck portion and having its rearward end extending slightly therebeyond, the rearward end of said contact sleeve having an outwardly formed flanged portion thereon;

(c) a tubular lamp bulb retainer member fitted inside of said contact sleeve with the base portion of said lamp bulb being received within its forward open end, the rearward end portion of said retainer member protruding outwardly from said contact sleeve, said retainer member including means for detachably securing it in place within said contact sleeve in such manner that said reflector body may be rotated about its forward end;

(d) contact means mounted within the rearward end portion of said lamp bulb retainer member for making electrical contact between the base terminal ele ment of the lamp bulb and one terminal of said battery;

(e) a stationary battery contact plate carried by the rearward end portion of said lamp bulb retainer member for making electrical contact with the other terminal of said battery;

(f) a contact ring rotatably mounted onto the rearward end portion of said contact sleeve, said contact ring being in electrical contact with the outwardly formed flanged portion thereon; and

(g) electrical lead wires attached at one end thereof to said battery contact plate and contact ring and being connected at their opposite ends to said switch means.

2. A waterproof lantern in accordance with claim 1 wherein the lens is formed with a peripheral rim provided with threads thereon for threadably mounting the lens onto a threaded circular lens mounting flange surrounding the front open end of said lantern case.

3. A waterproof lantern in accordance with claim 2 wherein a seal gasket is provided on said lens inside of the peripheral rim for assuring a water-tight seal when said lens is threadably mounted onto said lantern case.

4. A waterproof lantern in accordance with claim 1 wherein a lens ring is mounted onto the front end of said lantern case around said lens by means of lens ring clips which snap into recesses formed on the side walls of said lantern case.

5. A waterproof lantern in accordance with claim 1 wherein the forward end of said tubular lamp bulb retainer member is provided with a channel which engages with a corresponding peripheral bead formed on the inside surfaces of said contact sleeve which enables said retainer member to be easily snapped into place within said contact sleeve and which permits said reflector body to be rotated about the forward end of said retainer member.

6. A waterproof lantern in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tubular lamp bulb retainer member is formed with a recessed wall at its rearward end and wherein a spring contact is mounted within said recessed wall for making electrical contact with the central terminal of said battery.

7. A waterproof lantern in accordance with claim 1 wherein said battery contact plate is formed with a clip portion for holding the electrical lead wire attached to said rotatable contact ring in a substantially stationary position.

8. A waterproof lantern in accordance with claim 1 wherein said rotatable contact ring is formed with an outwardly protruding tab to which is fastened a metal clip attached to one of the electrical lead wires.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner R. A. WINTERCORN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

